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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's decision to kneel as the national anthem is played before games, a silent protest to raise awareness of the social injustice and the shooting deaths of black Americans by police officers, has grown into a full-fledged movement. And as they kicked off their training camp Monday, the Utah Jazz's young leaders left open the possibility that they too could make some sort of gesture themselves.

"I think we'll just come together as a team and decide on what to do, if we choose to do something," forward Derrick Favors said.

Kaepernick's protest has caught on with players around the NFL and has trickled down to the college and high school ranks. So as NBA season gets underway, it seems inevitable that players around the league will join in. Jazz officials said Monday that they won't stop their players from protesting, should they opt to.

"We've encouraged our guys to read and formulate their own opinions and their ideas," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "I'm pleased with the culture that's here, that is introspective and does value unity and social justice."

Added general manager Dennis Lindsey, "We're not the thought police. We want our players to have their individual feelings about social issues, because they're coming from much different backgrounds. It's important that we all respect those differences as much as anything."

Forward Gordon Hayward said he and his teammates have not had extended talks about the matter, but that they likely would soon.

"I think there's going to be more conversation," Hayward said. "I think it's a good thing for us to have that conversation and for us to be united as a team."

Staying fresh

Thin on talent off the bench last season, especially when injuries hit hard, the Jazz are suddenly one of the NBA's deeper squads thanks to their offseason acquisitions.

The additions of George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw should give Snyder plenty of versatility in his lineups and rotations. But it should also give him a chance to keep Hayward, who has had to deal with nagging injuries from heavy use at the end of the past two seasons, fresh.

"It's been incredible, his toughness and resiliency," Snyder said of Hayward. "He'll keep that and we can help him with it. I don't think we want to limit his minutes to the extent that we're thinking ahead. But … using him the right way with additional depth makes sense to keep him fresh."

Quotable

• Alec Burks is healthy and hoping to play a full season after having his campaigns cut short the past two seasons due to injury, and the shooting guard said he'll try not to alter his slashing style of play too much.

"I'm still going to be fearless," he said. "… I'm just going to pick my spots more."

• It's a good thing Jazz forward Trey Lyles showed poise during his rookie season that belied his youth. Asked how much more comfortable he felt heading into his sophomore campaign, Lyles said, "It's a total 360 from last year."

• Joe Ingles had to leave his wife and newborn twins behind just hours after their birth as he headed to Rio de Janeiro for the summer's Olympic games.

That, he said, made a bitter defeat in the bronze medal game easier to handle.

"It was easy to get on that plane and have a good feeling after, knowing what I was going back to," he said.

Twitter: @aaronfalk